


Moon Eclipsed

by EnrapturedSolace



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Angst, Character Death, M/M, Major Character Injury
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-08
Updated: 2020-11-08
Packaged: 2021-03-08 20:33:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,099
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27442714
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EnrapturedSolace/pseuds/EnrapturedSolace
Summary: A mission went bad, and Ferdinand has been missing for months. Once they found him, Hubert is unable to deal with the aftermath.
Relationships: Ferdinand von Aegir/Hubert von Vestra
Kudos: 24





	Moon Eclipsed

**Author's Note:**

> Beware! This is sad and depressiong.
> 
> MAJOR WARNING: CHARACTER DEATH

“Hubert.” The dark-haired male turned towards his Emperor, book snapping shut. Edelgard wore a look of despondence on her young face. Even though war has left lines around her wide eyes, she still reminded him of that young girl. The one who wore that same look when something bad happened. It told him everything he needed to know. Pushing past her, he ignored the book hitting the ground or her orders to stop. Sound fell on deaf ears. Hurried feet took him to the infirmary as Linhardt was closing the door. Tears pooled in his blue eyes, his mouth quivering. “I’m sorry, Hubert…” Blood soaked the dark green robes, dying them black. The younger man’s hands were shaking, blood covering them. Caspar ran up, taking the upset man into his arms.

Hubert threw open the door, eyes taking in the bloody mess. Orange strands curled in red liquid, sticking to exposed flesh. Fearing the worst, he let out a sigh of relief as the chest rose in struggling, slow breaths. Locking the door behind him, he sloughed off the topcoat. Joining Ferdinand, he tried to smooth the furrowed lines on his lover’s face. His lips were a shade of pale blue, face twisted in pain. The lance had torn open his left side, exposing the muscles and organs beneath. Too much damage to heal proper. “Ferdinand, wake up. Please…” It was a struggle for the mage to prevent himself from crying.

The wounded man responded to the familiar voice, taking a sharp breath. Those eyes that once shone with the sun dulled to a smoldering flame as they slid open. He smiled, blood dribbling out of cracked lips. “Hubert.” Even with the pain, Ferdinand sounded so happy to see him. The older man leaned down, placing their foreheads together. He kept eyes locked with the dying man beneath him. “S-sorry…wasn’t careful.” He shook his head, cupping his beloved’s face.

“You did your best, my dearest sun. Rest, and all will be better in the morning.” He loathed how calm he sounded. His own hands were trembling as eyes grew hot with furious tears. “I love you, Ferdinand. We’ll be together always.” The orange-haired male gripped his shirt as tight as he could, mouthing ‘I love you’ as his heart began to fail. Almost as if he waited out for Hubert. Those expressive eyes that enraptured him, dulled with suffering, closed. Lashes fanned across his relaxing cheeks, jolting Hubert into action.

Stripping off his shirt, he began to pain symbols onto himself. Weeks spent on memorizing this ritual. To be fair, it was under the assumption if the Emperor was in Ferdinand’s place. Yet his duty damned if it meant losing the sun that brought light into his dreary existence. Once they were complete, he began to repeat the same on Ferdinand. Each new line elicited a prickling bite onto the mage where the symbols matched. Hubert hoped that it meant it was working, and not a figment of a over-worked imagination. Placing the last symbol right above his heart, it glowed before sinking into both of them. Hubert let a smile crawl onto his face as the magi weaved its purpose. Dropping to his knees, he grasped his beloved’s hand for the last time. “You deserve to stay in the light.” Agony tore through him, body reaping the damage from the other.

Ferdinand’s pain lessened as his breathing became easier. Skin stitched itself as blood retreated back in. Even despite skin tearing open, Hubert gritted his teeth and kept a smile. Blood felt heavy and thick on his tongue. Pressing a bloody kiss against Ferdinand’s hand, Hubert slumped over as the magic sealed his fate.

Edelgard knocked on the door, a knot of worry coiling in her stomach. Hubert had been alone with Ferdinand for about twenty minutes now. Time was of the essence to preserve the Prime Minister’s body. “Hubert. We need to honor him. Open the door.” No response was forthcoming. Frowning, she glanced down only see liquid sanguine seeping from the crack. “Break it down!” The soldier nearby complied, making short work of the wooden door. Pressing a hand to her mouth, she gasped in disbelief at the scene. Ferdinand was intact despite blood clinging to him like a second skin. Hubert was unmoving in a pool of it, skin already blue and mottled.

“Edie, is everyt- Oh my!” Dorothea let out a sob, moving away from the door. It snapped the Emperor into action. The room was being cleaned, the Prime Minister moving to a fresh room and cleaned up. The Emperor’s right-hand man taken away. She gathered the sobbing diva, pulling her closer. Her own tears were silent.

Ferdinand groaned, rubbing his face as the mind tried to catch up. Remembering his state, he checked his left side frantic where the wound was. It was a pleasant surprise to find healed skin, not a single scar or blemish remained. “I’ll have to thank Lindhardt for this.” The thought made him smile. Yet something else was bothering him, tickling the still-awaking mind. Something about… The knight beamed. “Hubert.” He swung his legs over the side of the bed, taking his time to get stable. There would be a few places the mage would be lurking, but his study was the most reasonable. He wanted to see him, but also wanted to chastise the man for not being there next to him. After all, they spent the last year courting each other. Ferdinand had hoped a proposal would have been waiting for him finally. 

His rational side argued that Hubert knew he wasn’t in danger of dying so he let him rest. His heart melted with love for that man. “Ferdinand.” Sighing in disappointment, he turned to the tiny woman. Edelgard was dress in a slim black dress, long sleeves covering the powerful arms beneath. Her hair thrown up in an elegant style, a black flower comb holding it in place. Hubert had given it to her two years ago. 

He frowned, noticing the lavender eyes swollen and red-rimmed. She had been crying lately. One of the lords may have died? She was an Emperor, but she was human all the same. “Oh, Lady Edelgard. Has something happened? I was going to find Hubert wh-“

She shut him up with her next words. “Hubert is dead, Ferdinand.” Ice crept down the bright man’s spine, freezing every inch of muscle and vein. “You’ve been asleep two days. His funeral is today.” The world became silent as he leaned back against the cold stones. It didn’t register, even as he unceremoniously slid down to the floor. He began to babble, words spewing forth in denial. In rage. Hands gripped fiery locks in anguish, knees pulled against his chest. His very soul could not wrap around the notion. Hubert was dead. The man that supported and loved him with no restraint. He was gone in an instant, leaving a black hole. A hand placed itself on his shoulder, stopping the flow of manic denial. “You were always his light, the sun in the endless scape of night. Hubert chose to keep you in the sky.”

Ferdinand clung to the woman, welcoming her tight embrace. Both bore the loss of him in a different way, yet the suffering was the same. Panic left him, body tired and eyes burning. No more tears could soothe for the moment. They stayed quiet for a moment longer before he glanced up at her. “C-can I see him one last time?” He felt her nod as her hands aided him on his feet. Together they walked to Ferdinand and Hubert’s room so he could fix himself. Everything was numb now. The room they shared was the same. Dark colors with splashes of Ferdinand’s bright colors dotting the room. Crossing the plush carpet, he ignored the ache of memories spent in that room. It was almost as if he could feel Hubert moving around him.

Hands moved on muscle memory, the mind focusing on every instance between him and Hubert. The mocking voice when speaking to others; an adoring smile meant only for him; little tokens scattered about their offices and rooms. Cold nights when Hubert would warm him in their bed, and the summer days when they would spend hours in a cold tub. He would indulge Ferdinand’s every whim with no regard to himself. The knight sagged against the dresser, body quivering as he wailed. He didn’t care if anyone heard him. There wasn’t much left in him so after a few minutes, he was able to pick himself up. Tying back his hair with a black ribbon, he went to the basin to splash water on his face. It cooled the skin down a little bit and helped erase the tracks of tears. It cleared the haze in his mind, and he joined Edelgard outside. She had waited with a patient head, hearing the distress from inside. Yet she was certain that Ferdinand wouldn’t do anything foolish.

She led him in silence, only broken by their sniffling. A coil of hatred curled around his pure heart for a second. If he had never gone on that mission for her, Hubert would be alive. ‘Don’t be silly, beloved. Things go awry in war.’ Ferdinand let a brief turn of his lips as he thought of Hubert’s reaction. The coil slunk away as the chapel came into view. None of the Emperor’s counsel were religious, but the chapel had stayed as a reminder of the past. It was often where Hubert had gone to hide on particularly bad days. ‘The irony helps clear my mind.’ He had cackled after that, causing Ferdinand to shake his head in love. 

Hubert laid peaceful up on the dais inside. A sleek black suit showed up the strong shoulders and the narrow waist. It was one of the things Ferdinand had been jealous about. Until Hubert robbed him of his senses in praise. Gloved hands folded on the still chest, an orange rose clasped between them. The make up was unable to mirror the pale skin, giving color where in life he had none. Yet even in death, Hubert had a small smile on thin lips, eyes forever closed to the world. To Ferdinand. 

The rest of the Black Eagles gathered in the front pews. Linhardt was clinging to Caspar, unable to look at either the dead or the living. Caspar gave him a watery grin, unable to keep his bravado. His own eyes were red-rimmed despite the fact he and Hubert didn’t get along too well. Dorothea was cradling Bernadetta, trying to keep herself together for the crying woman. Edelgard joined her, enveloping both in a hug. Petra sat behind; head bent towards the floor to hide her own misery.

Around his beloved were black roses. Weaved in the delicate flowers were dark red carnations and white chrysanthemums. He walked up to the dais, very aware of everyone’s eyes on him now. Ferdinand wanted to wail and rant about the unfairness of it all. He wanted to wreck the dais and join Hubert in death. It should’ve been him up there. It would have if Hubert wasn’t such a selfish person. His arms covered him as if to keep him held together. He kneeled as furious sobs tore through, voice becoming raw. He couldn’t control the sadness anymore, wanting to feel something other than empty. A hand touched his back, yet he was too caught in grief to give notice.

Ferdinand had cried himself hoarse, thankful for the scratchy feeling. It grounded him and allowed Petra and Edelgard to help him to his feet. His body was aching from staying locked in that position for an hour. It was another reminder of how he was here, and Hubert was not. Gripping their hands, he followed along as the funeral procession headed outside. Edelgard had them keep the program short, precise, and respectful. Exactly like the man they were honoring. Pallbearers set the platform holding the dead onto the pyre and handed the lit torch to the Emperor. Ferdinand grabbed her hand, eyes pleading with her. Her lips trembled into a ghost of a smile, passing it over. Hubert was a practical man, wanting to burn, and ashes spread across the Empire. ‘If I happen to go before you- Oh, shush now, beloved. I want you to free me.’ As the sun blocks the moon in an eclipse, he set fire to his moon. After all, what is the moon but a reflection of the sun’s light?


End file.
